Nail-plate feeder



2 sh w. RILEY, 1r. eats Shea; I'

Nail Pl'ate Feeder.

N0. 29,613. Patented Aug.14,`186o.

v1. PETERS. mtrrmhngnprun Vlamingen. D.C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. RILEY, Jr.

Nail Plate Feeder.

No. 29,613. 4 Patented Aug..1418 60'.

UNTTED sTATns PATENT onmon.

IYILLIAM RILEY, JR., OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

NAIL-PLATE FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,613, dated August 14, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM RILEY, J r., of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Feeders for Nail-Cutting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation partly in section of a feeder with my improve ments. Fig 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same. Fig. t exhibits the opposite side of the machine to that shown in Fig. 1, but omitting the parts which are fully represented in Figs. l, and 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the upper part of the machine. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the nipper shaft exhibiting the contrivance for turning it.

Similar letters and numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists in a certain novel arrangement in combination with the nippers or plate holder of a feeder for cut nail machines, of a box from which the plates are supplied one at a time to the nippers by automatic mechanism.

It also consists in certain means for effecting the supply of the plates from the.

said box at the proper time. Also in certain improved means of drawing` back the nippers with the plate from the cutters preparatory to the turning of the plate and of lifting up and turning over the nippers with the plate; Also in certain means of discharging from the nippers the fag or waste ends of the plate. Also in certain system of mechanism for running back and changing the movements of the carriage which carries the nippers.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, B, B, C, C, is the framing of the feeder consisting of a base A, side frames B, B, and transverse braces C, C. The base A, is fitted to turn on a fixed pivot a, that is secured in a bed plate or bed D, which may also constitute the bed of the cutting machine. The top part of the framing has a longitudinal inclination and is furnished with parallel inclined ways b, Z), to receive and constitute guides for the sliding carriage E, which carries the spring nlppers F, F,

by which the nail plates are presented to and drawn back from t-he cutters and turned over.

At one side of the lower end of the top of the framing and parallel with the carriage E, there is arranged a quadrangular box G, in which a number of nail plates represented in the drawing inblue color are placed one above another to be supplied to the nippers one at a time as required through an opening in the lower part of the inner side of the said box. The body of this box G, consisting of its four sides rests upon a stationary plate G, which constitutes its bottom and which has an inclination corresponding with the carriage and the said body is adjustable on the said plate toward or from the center of the carriage which slides under the plate G. The body is secured to the bottom plate Gr, by a set screw 17. Opposite to the plate G on the other side of the framing there is secured a stationary plate H, whose upper surface is even with the upper surface of Gr', the said plates having a space between them wide enough for the nippers to pass, the said plates supporting the nail plates, when they are delivered from the box to be taken by the nippers. To the top of the plate H, there is secured a guide plate H, which may extend all the way to the cutters, said guide plate being, like the body of the plate box, adjustable toward and from the center of the carriage, so that there may be just room enough for the plates to pass down freely between them toward the cutters. The box may have attached to it a guide plate which like H, may extend to the cutters. The outer side of the box may be fitted in such a manner as to be adjustable that the same box may serve for plates of different widths to permit nails of different sizes to be cut by the same machine. The bottom plate Gr, of the box has a slot right across it to receive the sliding bar I, to which is attached the plate I, by which the plates are pushed from the box as often as required, to the nippers. The bottom of this bar I, is furnished with a toothed rack (see Fig. 5) to gear with a spur wheel J, on a shaft J, which is arranged in bearings on the side of the framing represented in Fig. 4, and which with the means of operating it will be hereinafter fully described` The spring nippers consist of two elastic jaws F, F, attached to a hollow rod or shaft F which is tted to turn in two boxes F2, and F3, the latter of which is furnished with trunnions CZ, CZ, fitted to bearings cZ,.cZ, attached to the carriage E, and the former of which is attached to a rod F4, which is arranged perpendicular or nearly so to the nipper shaft F and fitted to slide longitudinally in a guide cl2, attached to the carriage. These boxes F2, F3, permit the nipper shaft to have an oscillating movement in an upward and downward direction. The rod F 4, is fitted witha spring d3, below the guide (Z2, for the purpose of holding down the shaft in a bearing at the bottom of a guide K, near the lower end of the carriage, the duty of the said guide being to prevent its lateral oscillation. The nipper shaft F, has secured fast upon it between the boxes F2, and F3, a collar F5, which has two opposite ratchet like teeth e, e, shown in the transverse sectional view Fig. 6; and above this collar it has fitted to it a bevel gear f, which gears with a bevel toothed sector R, which is fitted to swing on one of the trunnions eZ,` (Z, and which with its connections will .be presently fully described. The bevel gear f, has a flange j, to which is attached a spring pawl f2, which engages with the teeth e, e, when the bevel gear is turned in one directionfor the purpose of turning the shaft to turn over the nippers with the late and so causes the shaft F', to turn with the gear but the said pawl slips over the teeth when the gear turns in the opposite direction. Below the guide K, the nipper shaft has attached to it a fixed collar with two opposite teeth g, g, either of which resting in a notch in a plate g, attached to the carriage prevents the shaft F from turning and locks it with the faces of the jaws of the nippers parallel with the plates Gr, H.

The hollow nipper shaft has fitted within it and extending right through it a smaller shaft 7L, on the lower part of which is cut a screw thread which is fitted to a nut ZL, that is secured within the shaft F, and on the upper part of which beyond the shaft F there is secured a pinion h2. This small shaft L, has its lower end fitted into a wedge like block h3, which fits between the jaws ofthe nippers for the purpose of forcing them up to liberate the fag ends of a plate which has been cut up as far as possible, preparatory to the reception of a new plate, the operation of the screw thread in the nut 71,', for this purpose being produced by the action on the pinion h2, of a toothed rack on the bottom of a bar L, which is fitted to slide in guides z', i, across the rear or upper' part of the carriage E, to which the said guides are secured. The same bar L, has upon its back another toothed-rack which gears with a spur toothed sector M, attached to the carriage by the center pin j. This sector has secured firmly to it a long arm M, which has attached to it two anti-friction rollers m, m, which, as the carriage moves back and forth are brought into contact with shifting stops k, Z, secured by pins 7c', Z, to the top of a fixed plate N, that is bolted to the framing.

At some distance below the carriage E, and in a position transverse thereto there is arranged in suitable fixed bearings n, n, a horizontal rock shaft P-, from which all parts of the feeder derive their motion said shaft having an-arm P, that is fast on one end of Vit connected by a rod P2, with a crank Q', or eccentric on the rotating main shaft Q, of the cutting machine for the purpose of giving it the necessary rocking motion. The said shaft P, has fitted loosely to it a cam Y, a chain sector S, a ratchet cam T, and a sleeve U, on which are tightly secured three cams V, W, X. The chain sector S, is connected with the carriage E, by chains p, p for the purpose of running back the carriage with the nippers after a plate has been cut up as far as practicable. The ratchet cam has five ratchet teeth g, Q, on its periphery and live deep notches g', gin its outer face and a pawl Q2, is attached to the chain sector to engage with its ratchet teeth. Its operation in connection with the chain sector will be hereinafter described.

The cam W, is to raise the nipper shaft F, preparatory to the turning of the nippers to turn over the nail plates between the successive operations of the cutters and let it down againafter the plate has been turned over and for this purpose it operates upon a lever V, which is connected by a rod V72, working on a fixed fulcrum l2, with a lever W3, workingon a fixed fulcrum 13, and the latter lever is connected with an inclined plane TV, which is parallel with the car` riage E, and upon which rests the bottom of the rod F t, which carries the bearing F2, of the upper shaft. The inclined plane W4, is kept parallel with the carriage in its upward and downward movement produced by the cam, by means of two guide rods TV5, W5, rigidly attached to its ends and working through fixed guides WG, W3, attached to the framing, said guide rods and guides being perpendicular with the face of the inclined plane. The cam X, has connected with it a spring 31, which tends to turn the said cam and with it the sleeve U, and cams V, and W, in the opposite direction to that in which the cam lV, moves to raise the nipper shaft.

The cam V, is for the purpose of turning the nipper shaft and nippers to turn over the nail plates. It operates upon a lever V', which works on a fixed fulcrum 14, and which is connected with an inclined plane V2, upon which rests the lower end of a rod V3, which is arranged to work perpendicu- I larly to the carriage E, in a fixed guide V6, attached to the framing. The inclined plane V2, is kept in a position parallel with the carriage E, by having rigidly attached to it two rods V4, V4, which work in fixed guides V5, V5, attached to the carriage said rods and guides being perpendicular to the face of the inclined plane. The rod V3, is furnished with a fast collar l5, to which is connected a rod V2, which is connected also with the bevel toothed sector R, before described, and a spring 16, is coiled around the rod V3, between the said collar l5, and the bottom of the guide V6. Vhen the inclined plane V2, is raised by the action of the cam V, upon the lever V, the rod N2, is raised with it, and the rod V7, is caused to raise the sector R, and make it turn the bevel pinion f, in a direction to bring its attached pawl f2, into operation on one of the teeth e, e, on the collar Ff', on the nipper shaft for the purpose of turning the nipper shaft to the extent of half a revolution. Vhen the cam V, allows the inclined plane V2, to descend, the spring 16, pulls down the sector R, and causes it to turn the pinion f, in a direction to carry back the pawl f2, over the next tooth e, of the collar F5. The cam V, does not commence to operate the sector R, till after the cam WV, has raised the inclined plane VW, high enough for it to have lifted up the tooth g, on the lower part of 'the nipper shaft out of the notch in the plate g. The inclined planes V2, and 74, are of such length that they will operate upon their respective rods F4, and V3, during thewhole movement of the carriage and their *operation is the same in all positions vof the carriage.

The cam X, is for the purpose of drawing back the carriage a little way after each cut and ofv producing the feed movement of the plates to the cutters and for this purpose it operates between the two arms r, r, (see Fig. 4) of a friction s-ector X, which is arranged to rock on a fixed st-ud s, secured to the framing. This sector is faced with india rubber or other suitable material as shown at t, t', in Fig. l to work in Contact with the periphery of and give motion by friction to a plain wheel X2, which works on a fixed stud u, secured to the framing and which has secured to ita spur wheel X2, which gears with a toothed rack o, secured to one side of the carriage. The said cam X, begins to act upon the arm 1", of the friction sector X, just before the cam W, begins to raise its inclined plane VW, and by its action on the said arm turns the sector` in a direction to move the wheels X2, X3, in a direction to move back the carriage by the action of the wheel X3, on the rack o. After having thus moved back the carriage the said cam X, continues to act on the arm fr, to hold back the carriage while the nipper shaft is being turned; but as soon as the nipper shaft has been turned and has dropped down to its place again the said cam acts upon the arm r, of the sector and moves it quickly in the opposite direction to that first described, thereby moving forward the carriage again. The feed movement of the carriage is not produced by the positive action of the wheel X3, on the rack, which action only moves it (the carriage) forward as far as it moved it back, but it (the feed movement) is produced by the weight and momentum of the carriage after the end t, of the face of the sector passes out of contact with the periphery of the whe-el X2, which causes the carriage to be thrown forward till the end of the nail plate comes in contact with the gage which is arranged near the cutters. The momentum of the carriage would be sufficient for this if it were arranged horizontally instead of on an inclination as shown.

The cam Y, is for the purpose of drawing back the plate 1, after it has forced a nail plate from the box G, into the nippers. The shaft J, before described through which the said plate 1, is operated, is furnished at its upper or rear end with a bevel pinion J2, which gears with a bevel toothed sector J 3, workino' on a fixed stud fw, that is secured in the raming. This sector has firmly secured to it an arm J 4, which is so arranged that as the carriage E, in being moved back by the chain sector after a plate has been cut up, arrives near the end of its movement the said arm is struck by a stud carried by the carriage and so pushed back by the completion of the movement of the carriage thereby causing a downward move-- ment of the sector J3, and a movement of the pinion J2, and shaft J, in a direction to make the gear J move the plate 1, in a direction to force out the lowest plate of the pile in the box. The sector J 3, is connected by a rod J 5, with a lever Y, which works on a fixed fulcruin 2, secured to the framing and which occupies a position over the cam Y. In the first oscillating movement of the rock-shaft P, which takes place after the carriage has been moved back by the chain sector, the cam Y, acts upon the lever Y, to move the sector upward and so to move the shaft J, in the opposite direction to that just described and cause the plate 1, to be moved back out of the box. In the subsequent movements of Athe rock shaft prior to the carriage being again moved back by the chain sector' the cam Y, does not operate upon the lever Y', as it is out of range of the said cam, and consequently the sector J 3, and the shaft J, remain stationary.

Between the sleeve U, and the chain sector S, there is fitted to the rock shaft 1), a clutch Z (Fig. 3) which can only turn with the said shaft but is free toslide longitudinally upon. it for the purpose of coupling with the said rock shaft, either the sleeve U, or the chain sector,r one of which is required torbe always uncoupled from the shaft while the other is coupled. This clutch is shifted by a forked lever U, which works on a fixed fulcrum 18, and which has rigidly attached to it an arc shaped bar 19, which crosses the axis of the fulcrum 1S, and which is received in a notch in the arm 20, of a rockshaft 21, which is arranged perpendicular-ly to the carriage in fixed: bearings secured to the framing. This arm 20, is arranged to slide longitudinally in a box 22, provided in the rock. shaft 21, and has a spring 23, so applied toit as to cause the arm to pull upon the lever U, with sutlicient force to overcome the friction of the said lever and clutch. The rockshaft 2l, has another and much shorter arm 24, just above the box 22, said arm being rigidly attached to it and carrying a pin which works in a fork at one extremity of a lever 25, which works on a fixed fulcrum 26, and whose opposite extremity works in contact with the face of the ratchet cam T; and above the top of the framing the said rockshaft has another rigid arm 27, which is operated upon as will be presently described by a tappet 2S, attached to the carriage, said tappet also operating as hereinafter described in connection with a lever 29, which works on a xed fulcrum 30, above the framing and on one side of the carriage.

The operation of the machine is as follows: I will first suppose the carriage E, to be completing its step by step movement toward the cutters and the plate in the nippers to have been cut up as close as possible to the nippers. The tappet 28, comes into contact with the arm 27, of the shaft 21, and turns the said rod in such a manner that the arm 20, moves along the bar 29, on the clutch lever from the position shown in Fig. 3, to the opposite side of the fulcrum of the said lever, and when the clutch which is now in gear with the sleeve U, arrives at the position in which it is free from strain the spring 23, will act upon the arm 20, in such a manner as to draw the clutch Z, out of gear with the said sleeve and its cams V, lV, X, and into gear with the chain segment XV, which will instantly be caused to swing back rapidly, and pull back the carriage E. Zhen the carriage has moved back a short distance the roller m, on the arm N of the toothed sector M, comes in contact with the stop Z, (see Fig. 3) and as the carriage moves onward the arrest of the end of the arm M, causes the sector lVI, to receive such a movement on the pin J, that it drives the rack bar L,y across the carriage and causes the said bar to act uponv the pinion ZL?, on the shaft 7L, in such a manneras to turn the said shaft in the proper direction to cause it to be drawn forward in the hollow nipper shaft F', by its screw thread turning in the nut t, and thereby to force forward the wedge or block h3, between the jaws of the nippers and so open the latter to let the fag end of the plate drop out. The arm M, then works clear of the stop Z, and the continued backward movement of the carriage brings the stud w, into operation on the arm J4, of the segment J, and so produces the operation of the plate I, to force out the bottom plate of the pile from the box G, as hereinbefore described, and deposit it on the plate H, and the part of the plate G, that extends beyond the inner side of the box, where it arrives just before the back stro-ke of the carriage is completed, and where it is caused to remain by a spring stop not represented in the drawing, till the return of the carriage which is immediately commenced by the movement of the rock shaft P, and the chain sector being reversed.

During the first part of the forward movement of the carriage which is effected by the chain sector the pin m, on the arm M, comes in contact with the stop 7s, and causes the sector M, to derive such a motion as to draw back the rack bar L, in the opposite direction to that in which it was moved during the retreat of the carriage, and so cause the said bar by its operation on the pinion h2, to turn the shaft H, in a direction to permit the wedge or block H3, to move back from between the jaws of the nippers to permit them to close upon the new plate by their own velocity and the said plate is pushed back for this purpose by coming in contact with the plate. The stops 7c, Z, are so arranged and controlled by springs 33, 33, and fixed stops 34, 34, that the stop 7L', will let the arm M, pass it without interference, as the carriage moves back, and that Z, will allow the arm to pass it as the carriage moves forward. To prevent the stop Z, from interfering with the arm M, during the short intermittent backward movements of the lever with the carriage during the cutting operation, is the purpose of the lever 29, hereinbefore mentioned, such lever having a hook at its rear end which is held up by a spring 32, to a position to lock the stop Z, in a suitable position, but before the carriage completes its forward movement and the plate is all cut up, or after the carriage U, by one of the five cam like projections on the side face of the ratchet cam T, which may be termed the reverse cam, coming into operation on the lever 25, which by its connection with the arm 24, ofthe shaft 2l, turns the said shaft in such a position as to cause its arm 20, to pass back to the position on the clutch lever U', that is represented in Fig. 3, and the latter arm is so caused to produce the necessary movement of the clutch lever. Every oscillation of the rock shaft now causes the nipper shaft with the nippers and nail plate to be drawn back raised up and turned over and moved forward again so that it advances each time the distance equal to the width of the nail. In .the step by step forward movement of the carriage which takes place as the cutting operation proceeds and which is produced by t-he cam X, sector X', wheels X2, and X1", the rack v, the chain sector is moved forward by and with the carriage, and as it moves forward the pawl q2, which is attached to it, acting on one of the ratchet teeth g, of the reverse cam T, moves the said cam along with it till by the time the carriage completes its forward step by step movement, one of the notches g', Q', is presented opposite to the lever 25, for the said lever to drop into when the arm 27, of the'rock-shaft 2l, is operated upon by the tappet 2S, to throw the clutch out of gear with the sleeve U, and into gear with the chain sector. As the chain sector swings back it leaves the reverse cam stationary and its pawl g2, slides over to the next tooth g', preparatory to its giving the said cam another movement as it swings forward again.

It has been hereinbefore described that the boX Gr, and plate I-I', can be adjusted to suit plates of various widths for nails of various lengths, and such adjustment of the boxwill, it is obvious, require an adjustment of the movement of the plate I', to force the plates from the box. This adjustment is provided for by a slot 85, in the lever Y', at the connection of the rod J 5. The taper of the nail may be varied by adjusting the whole feeder on the center bolt a, which also provides for turning the machine around away from the cutters to permit the removal and regrinding and replacement of the cutters during the cutting of a plate, and the immediate resumption of the cutting operation by turning the feeder back again.

I do not claim broadly supplying the plates to the nippers of a nail plate feeder vautomatically as fast as required from a box attached to the machine as that is described in former patents; nor do I claim the arrangement of such box at the side of the machine; but

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The arrangement of the plate box in such a position that the plate shall be delivered from the box for reception by the nippers, byjda lateral movement to a position in front of the nippers or between the nippers and the cutters substantially as herein described.

2. The means of operating the plate I', by which the nail plates are forced from the box to be received by the nippers consisting of the pinion J', shaft J, pinion J 2, toothed sector J3, arm J4, stud w, rod J5, lever Y', and cam Y, the whole combined and arranged substantially as herein specified.

3. The within described mechanism for drawing back the nippers to withdraw the plate from the cutters preparatory to turning it over and for feeding it up to the cutters consisting of the oscillating friction sector X', the friction wheel X2, the spur wheel X3, and the rack f1), applied and operating substantially as herein described.

4. The within described mechanism for raising and turning the nipper shaft consisting of the plane lifters W4, and V2, the rod Ft, and bearing F2, the rods V3, and V7, the sector It, the loose pinion f, and its pawl f2, and the fast toothed collar F5, on the nipper shaft the whole applied arranged tnl operating substantially as herein speci- 5. The combination of the chain sector S, the sleeve U, with its cams V, IV, X, and the clutch Z, the whole applied substantially as described upon the same rock shaft, and in connection with the carriage E, which carries the nippers, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

6. The mechanism for operating the clutch Z, consisting of the reverse cam T, the lever 25, the rock-shaft 2l, with its several arms and the tappet 28, attached to the carriage, the whole applied and combined substantially as herein set forth.

IVM. RILEY, J R.

Witnesses:

H. M. DE HART, JER. BACHMAN. 

